What does it mean if a Secretary of State registration is marked "foreign"?

What does it mean if a Secretary of State registration is marked "foreign"?

• A. It was first registered in a different state
• B. It is an international business
• C. It is not registered anywhere
• D. It is a nonprofit

Answer: (A)

Being marked "foreign" means the entity was created in a different state and is authorized to do business in this state as a foreign entity. In practice, a company is domestic in the state where it was formed and foreign in other states where it operates. So this filing indicates jurisdictional origin—the entity’s first registration occurred in another state, not here. It doesn’t imply international activity, nonprofit status, or that it isn’t registered somewhere else. For example, a corporation formed in Delaware that wants to do business in California would file as a foreign corporation in California.